Bus Companies Lament Over Suspension of School Field Trips

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Screenshot - for reference only

 

Tour bus companies across the nation are facing challenging times following a government directive halting school field trips. This decision came after a devastating bus fire in Pathum Thani on Tuesday, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 20 students and three teachers.

 

The Ministry of Education has ordered the temporary suspension for safety evaluations, putting a significant dent in the operations of many tour bus firms.

 

Bus operators like Thawatchai Wongwanitkanwarn from Nakhon Ratchasima insist they adhere to strict safety protocols, regularly inspecting buses and ensuring drivers and vehicles meet the necessary standards. Yet, the blanket suspension has hit their businesses hard.

 

Thawatchai’s fleet consists mainly of double-decker diesel buses, generally used for state agencies and private tours rather than school trips. Other operators, however, rely heavily on providing transportation for schools. The suspension, they argue, affects their single-decker buses used specifically for student outings.

The tragedy involved a severely modified bus more than 50 years old, with improperly installed gas tanks, leading to its operator's licence being suspended. In response, the government announced stricter safety regulations and broader inspections of gas-powered buses nationwide.

 

Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob has enacted a moratorium on school field outings as officials reassess safety practices. With plans already disrupted after the pandemic, tour bus operators now face another setback, reducing their recovery efforts. Passenger numbers have clawed back to only half of what they were before Covid, adding pressure on an already stressed industry.

 

Chamroon Wannapas, owner of Ae Transport in Khon Kaen, noted that about 80% of his contracts were cancelled after the fire, with school customers the most affected. Bus hire fees typically range from 5,000 to 15,000 baht daily, but with cancellations mounting, many operators share Chamroon’s empathetic understanding, offering condolences to the grieving families while hoping for clarity on when services might resume, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-10-04

 

[dinsdale]

Typical knee jerk reaction from the govt. 

[Artisi]

And if they did nothing you would still complain. 

 

[herfiehandbag]

Reduced demand should allow them to scrap the older vehicles?

[Gottfrid]

58 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Typical knee jerk reaction from the govt. 

What does it take for you to wake up. More dead people, more children burnt to death?

This is the right approach as they will find many faulty buses during inspection, and as I understand the cancellation on school trips will be during the 2 month they have as time to check the total fleet of buses. To even dare to make such comment as you did, shows your lack of empathy and understanding of the situation.

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Typical knee jerk reaction from the govt. 

Totally agree.

Just so that they 'look good'.

Who is inspecting the 10s of thousands of buses to deem them road worthy?

How long will they be off the road? (Until the who-ha dies down.)

 

[Tropicalevo]

40 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

What does it take for you to wake up. More dead people, more children burnt to death?

This is the right approach as they will find many faulty buses during inspection, and as I understand the cancellation on school trips will be during the 2 month they have as time to check the total fleet of buses. To even dare to make such comment as you did, shows your lack of empathy and understanding of the situation.

 

Whist this tragedy is devastating, far more people die in accidents from modified trucks, cars or motorbikes.

No one is 'suspending' them.

 

No one is inspecting the batteries in e-vehicles and bikes where they spontaneously catch fire.

 

This particular accident has caught the press's attention and therefore also the public.

We are all horrified about what has happened.

But deep down, we all know that it will happen again, sometime in the future, regardless of what is done now.

 

THAT is also a tragedy.

[ravip]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Typical knee jerk reaction from the govt. 

 

10 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Totally agree.

Just so that they 'look good'.

Who is inspecting the 10s of thousands of buses to deem them road worthy?

How long will they be off the road? (Until the who-ha dies down.)

 

So what would you suggest?

Ignore and carry on as usual?

 Please be more specific.

[anchadian]

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Typical knee jerk reaction from the govt. 

Exactly.
 

Like many initial reactions from the govt, this will in time be all forgotten.

 

Shame on the govt.

[Tropicalevo]

21 minutes ago, anchadian said:

Exactly.
 

Like many initial reactions from the govt, this will in time be all forgotten.

 

Shame on the govt.

And shame on all business owners who will break the law in the name of greed. 

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

What does it take for you to wake up. More dead people, more children burnt to death?

This is the right approach as they will find many faulty buses during inspection, and as I understand the cancellation on school trips will be during the 2 month they have as time to check the total fleet of buses. To even dare to make such comment as you did, shows your lack of empathy and understanding of the situation.

The correct approach is not to allow it in the first place. This is just the usual reactionary process that will lead to very few changes. I have empathy, buckets of it but I've also lived here for over 20 years and seen how things happen. As for checking the fleet as I stated elsewhere this will mean over 200 buses checked per day and this is only the gas conversions. What about all the diesel buses? All in 60 days?

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Totally agree.

Just so that they 'look good'.

Who is inspecting the 10s of thousands of buses to deem them road worthy?

How long will they be off the road? (Until the who-ha dies down.)

 

Every journey begins with the first step.

So it's good the Govt take action and care to avoid similar tragedies.👍

[lordgrinz]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

Whist this tragedy is devastating, far more people die in accidents from modified trucks, cars or motorbikes.

No one is 'suspending' them.

 

No one is inspecting the batteries in e-vehicles and bikes where they spontaneously catch fire.

 

This particular accident has caught the press's attention and therefore also the public.

We are all horrified about what has happened.

But deep down, we all know that it will happen again, sometime in the future, regardless of what is done now.

 

THAT is also a tragedy.

 

Thai culture, everyone raves about it.